February 9 A Vital Resource: Exploring USAID’s Research Translation Toolkit This webinar introduced the importance of research translation – the process that transforms research findings into a form that is relevant to practitioners or other audiences – and provides a high-level overview of the Research Translation Toolkit, including real world examples of research teams that have used the processes from the toolkit.

1. A Vital Resource
Exploring The Research Translation Toolkit
February 9, 2023
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RESEARCH TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE CENTER

2. WELCOME FROM
DR. EMMANUELLA DELVA
Acting Managing Director, Research Division
Deputy Director for Research Policy, Research Division
Innovation, Technology, & Research Hub (ITR)
USAID | Development, Democracy, and Innovation

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4. OVERVIEW OF THE RESEARCH
TRANSLATION TOOLKIT

5. COMPREHENSIVE GUIDE TO RESEARCH TRANSLATION
• The Research Translation Toolkit is a comprehensive, standalone resource that
can be used by anyone who wants to bridge the gap between research
production and research utilization.
• Each section includes exercises, fillable forms, and templates to help you apply
the information in the toolkit to your own work.
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6. ONE TOOLKIT, THREE SECTIONS
SECTION 1
Stakeholder Analysis
SECTION 2
Communication Products
SECTION 3
Research-to-Action (R2A) Plan
When used together, these three sections can help you craft strategies and messages to
influence decisions and achieve development impact more effectively throughout the
research process.
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7. TOOLKIT SECTIONS ARE USEFUL AT CRITICAL STAGES
IN THE RESEARCH PROCESS
STAKEHOLDER
ANALYSIS
R2A PLAN
01 02 03 04 05
R2A PLAN
COMMUNICATION
PRODUCTS
Research question Concept and Study Analysis and Dissemination
development proposal write-up implementation write-up and follow-up
STAKEHOLDER
ANALYSIS
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8. USING THE TOOLKIT IN REAL-WORLD SCENARIOS

9. SUCCESSFUL STAKEHOLDER ANALYSIS
IMPROVING DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT OF
CUTANEOUS LEISHMANIASIS IN TUNISIA
Brainstormed and identified
an initial set of 20 diverse
stakeholders, from
subnational to global levels.
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10. SUCCESSFUL STAKEHOLDER ANALYSIS
IMPROVING DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT OF
CUTANEOUS LEISHMANIASIS IN TUNISIA
Prioritized according to
high level of influence
and/or capacity to
support "quick win."
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11. SUCCESSFUL COMMUNICATION PRODUCTS
CHILDHOOD TUBERCULOSIS IN THE PHILIPPINES
11
06
01 02 03 04 05
Analyzed data Identified barriers Identified Developed clear Determined Packaged
decisionmakers at recommendations stakeholders’ findings in a
national and related to guidance, communication factsheet
subnational levels resources, and tools preferences

12. SUCCESSFUL R2A PLANNING
IMPROVING CROP
STORAGE IN INDIA
• Research team set R2A goals focused on
reaching national and subnational
stakeholders.
• Identified several immediate, actionable
next steps to work toward these goals.

13. STAKEHOLDER ANALYSIS SECTION
SECTION 1
Stakeholder Analysis
SECTION 2
Communication Products
SECTION 3
Research-to-Action (R2A) Plan
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14. STAKEHOLDER ANALYSIS SECTION
IDENTIFY AND ENGAGE
The Stakeholder Analysis section can help
you identify influential individuals or
groups who might use your research and
plan effective engagement with them.
This will increase the impact of your
research insights or technical innovations.

15. STAKEHOLDER ANALYSIS SECTION
WHEN TO USE
Use this section when you want to:
• Understand your stakeholders’ interests, influences, motivations, and knowledge
of the subject matter.
• Determine which stakeholders are most important to engage in the research
process, and when and how to engage them.
• Learn tips for how to interview stakeholders.
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16. STAKEHOLDER ANALYSIS SECTION
STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE
STEP 1: Identify Stakeholders
• Worksheet 1: Stakeholder Identification
STEP 2: Prioritize Stakeholders
• Worksheet 2a: Stakeholder Prioritization
• Worksheet 2b: Stakeholder Mapping Matrix
(optional)
STEP 3: Understand Stakeholders
• Worksheet 3: Stakeholder Information
• Resource: Stakeholder Interview Guide
STEP 4: Plan Stakeholder Engagement
• Worksheet 4: Stakeholder Engagement Plan
by Project Stage
• Template: Short-Term Stakeholder Engagement Plan
• Example: Short-Term Stakeholder Engagement Plan
STEP 5: Track Stakeholder Engagement
• Worksheet 5: Stakeholder Engagement Tracking Plan
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17. STAKEHOLDER ANALYSIS SECTION
HANDS-ON TOOLS
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18. STAKEHOLDER ANALYSIS SECTION
USEFUL ACROSS THE RESEARCH PROCESS
Use this section as early as possible so stakeholders
can be engaged to give their input before your
research questions and/or approach are finalized.
STAKEHOLDER
ANALYSIS
01 02 03 04 05
Research question Concept and Study Analysis and Dissemination and
development proposal write-up implementation write-up follow-up
STAKEHOLDER
ANALYSIS
Use this section at any stage of your research project because stakeholder roles may vary at each
stage; engagement is an ongoing, iterative process that continues through the project. 18

19. COMMUNICATION PRODUCTS SECTION
Stakeholder Analysis
SECTION 1
Communication Products
SECTION 2
Research-to-Action (R2A) Plan
SECTION 3
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20. COMMUNICATION PRODUCTS SECTION
FORMAT & MESSAGING
The Communication Products Section will
help you craft main messages and choose the
right format to share your research insights or
technical innovations with stakeholders in a
way that motivates them to use your evidence
to inform policies, programs, or practices.

21. COMMUNICATION PRODUCTS SECTION
WHEN TO USE
Use this section when you want to:
• Tell a story using your data and information.
• Tailor your main messages to your audiences’ interests.
• Package your research results in the format that is most likely to capture your
stakeholders’ attention so the results will be used.
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22. COMMUNICATION PRODUCTS SECTION
STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE
Step 1: Identify Communication
Objectives
• Worksheet: Communication Objectives and Audiences
Step 2: Identify Audiences
• Worksheet: Communication Objectives and Audiences
Step 3: Identify Main Messages
• Worksheet: How to Craft Main Messages
Step 4: Use Accessible Language
• Tip Sheet: Tips and Tricks for Writing Accessibly
Step 5: Identify Resources and Develop
the Product
• Tip Sheet: Timeline and Budget Considerations
• Example Fact Sheet: Contact Tracing
• Example Fact Sheet: Educating Moroccan Youth
• Example Policy Brief: Damming the Ecosystems of Amazonia
• Example Policy Brief: Sharing the Land
• Worksheet: Communication Product Outline for Fact Sheets
and Policy Briefs
• Template: Fact Sheet
• Template: Policy Brief
• Checklist: Developing a Communication Product
• Tip Sheet: Types of Communications Professionals 22

23. COMMUNICATION PRODUCT SECTION
HANDS-ON TOOLS

24. COMMUNICATION PRODUCTS SECTION
USEFUL ACROSS THE RESEARCH PROCESS
01 02 03 04 05
It is best to use this section when
you have sufficient data to
support your claims; clear results;
and actionable, evidence-based
recommendations.
COMMUNICATIONS
PRODUCTS SECTION
Research question Concept and Study Analysis and Dissemination
development proposal write-up implementation write-up and follow-up
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25. RESEARCH-TO-ACTION (R2A) PLAN SECTION
Stakeholder Analysis
SECTION 1
Communication Products
SECTION 2
Research-to-Action (R2A) Plan
SECTION 3
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26. R2A PLAN SECTION
PREPARING FOR ACTION
The R2A Plan section helps you develop a
step-by-step plan to communicate your
research findings, attract influential
stakeholders, and ensure your research
leads to action.
You should revisit and update your R2A
plan over time.

27. R2A PLAN SECTION
WHEN TO USE
Use this section when you want to:
• Leverage your stakeholder analysis and communication products.
• Identify the types of changes or decisions that could be made based on your
research evidence.
• Ensure your messages are clearly communicated, compelling, and credible to
your audience.
• Identify opportunities to highlight your research findings and generate interest in
their use.
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28. R2A PLAN SECTION
STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE
STEP 1a: Set Research-to-Action Goals
• R2A Plan Template: Box 1a
STEP 1b: Summarize Major Project Results
• R2A Plan Template: Box 1b
STEP 2: Stakeholder Analysis—Identify,
Prioritize and Engage
• R2A Plan Template: Box 2a and Box 2b
STEP 3: Assess the Policy Environment
• R2A Plan Template: Box 3
STEP 4: Distill Main Messages and Develop
Actionable Recommendations
• R2A Plan Template: Box 4a and Box 4b
STEP 5: Package Research in User-Friendly
Formats and Disseminate
• R2A Plan Template: Box 5a and Box 5b
STEP 6: Develop an R2A Plan Timeline
and Checklist
• R2A Plan Template
• R2A Checklist
• R2A Timeline Worksheet
• R2A Timeline Example
Step 7: Regularly Track Progress and Measure
Success
• R2A Plan Template
• R2A Progress Tracking Worksheet 28

29. R2A PLAN SECTION
HANDS-ON TOOLS
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30. R2A PLAN SECTION
USEFUL ACROSS THE RESEARCH PROCESS
01 02 03 04 05
Use this section to assess your
results, determine who needs to
hear about them, and develop a
plan to convey significant
implications to these stakeholders.
R2A PLAN
Use this section as you begin planning
your research to help you think about
how you want your results to be used
and how to involve/inform stakeholders
throughout the research process.
R2A PLAN
Research question Concept and Study Analysis and Dissemination
development proposal write-up implementation write-up and follow-up
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31. TYING IT ALL TOGETHER
Use this section as early as possible so
stakeholders can be engaged to give
their input before your research
questions and/or approach are finalized.
STAKEHOLDER ANALYSIS
Use this section to assess your results,
determine who needs to hear about them,
and develop a plan to convey significant
implications to these stakeholders.
R2A PLAN
Use this section as you begin planning your
research to help you think about how you want
your results to be used and how to involve/inform
stakeholders throughout the research process.
R2A PLAN
It is best to use this section when you
have sufficient data to support your
claims; clear results; and actionable,
evidence-based recommendations.
COMMUNICATIONS
PRODUCTS
01 02 03 04 05
Research question Concept and Study Analysis and Dissemination and
development proposal write-up implementation write-up follow-up
Use this section at any stage of your research project because stakeholder roles may vary at each stage; engagement is an ongoing, iterative
process that continues through the project.
STAKEHOLDER ANALYSIS
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33. VIDEO
USAID'S RESEARCH TRANSLATION TOOLKIT IN ACTION!

34. VIDEO: ACCESSING THE TOOLKIT

36. AUDIENCE ACTIVITY RESULTS
HOW WILL YOU USE THE TOOLKIT IN YOUR OWN WORK?
• I have used the R2A to build my next consortium program in Africa.
• Produce dissemination materials that are accessible and relevant to the audiences we want to target. To figure out
how to convey stories they identify themselves (at least with their interests).
• Tailoring message to different stakeholders.
• As our five-year program is ending soon, this toolkit will be very useful to disseminate the most important results.
• Applying technical results to stakeholders
• Determining what kinds of changes/decisions we should make based on the findings.
• Our work in Jordan is mainly towards agriculture technology transfer. We work with international partners from the
US and Europe to transfer their technologies to Jordan. Therefore, we are looking for such a toolkit to explain
sophisticated technology to farmers and policy makers.
• By introducing the Toolkit to researchers who are beginning their research co-creation process along with
stakeholders and counterparts.
• Help to streamline and prioritize engagement activities on USAID projects, as well as projects across the organization
that may have less external guidance.
• To figure out how talk to the people who could use my research
• To produce diverse products to communicate our research findings, also to design products for different audiences
and countries in Central American and the Caribbean.

37. AUDIENCE ACTIVITY RESULTS
HOW WILL YOU USE THE TOOLKIT IN YOUR OWN WORK?
• Identify clearly what information can be gained from research coming out or our programs and how it can be used to
better future processes.
• Tailor messages to different key audiences.
• I am especially interested in applying the Communication Products section to my work to figure out the best formats
to use for specific audiences and purposes.
• Make program evaluation findings more accessible and action-oriented to implementers, USAID, and government
counterparts.
• It helps identify policy solutions that are technically correct, politically feasible, and organizationally implementable.
• More reflection on stakeholders, this knowledge should not be taken for granted.
• Learning an effective communication for local stakeholders.
• Already using it in my own work.
• We want to convey the impact of our program over the past 10 years.
• I am already using material produced with you / Cutaneous leish project :)

38. WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!
Share your story about how using
the Research Translation
Toolkit has influenced uptake of
your research by emailing us at
itr.researchfeedback@usaid.gov.

39. UPCOMING WEBINARS 2023
● February 23: Reaching the Right People at the Right Time: How to Use the
Stakeholder Analysis Section
● March 2: Capturing Attention: How to Use the Communication Products
Section
● March 9: Transforming Research Into Programs and Policies: How to Use the
Research-to-Action Section
All 9:30 - 11:00 am (Eastern Time)
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40. THANK YOU!
Register for the next webinars and access post-event resources via the webinar website:
https://www.rtachesn.org/stories-and-news/research-translation-toolkit-webinars/

41. Acknowledgements
This presentation was produced by Population Reference
Bureau under the Research Technical Assistance Center
(RTAC) project. RTAC is made possible by the generous
support of the American people through the United States
Agency for International Development (USAID) under the
terms of contract no. 7200AA18C00057. The contents are
the sole responsibility of RTAC and NORC at the University
of Chicago and do not necessarily reflect the views of USAID
or the United States government.